Finding Land: Increasing Accuracy with Search Filters

Key information
  • There are 10 land filter categories, with 21 individual land filters
  • Land filters let you pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for out of thousands of land listings
  • You can use any combination or number of land filters you’d like, making your search as precise as you want

Addland has thousands of quality land listings, marketed by hundreds of agents. That high volume of listings is crucial to what makes us the single destination for land, but it also meant that we had to build a platform which lets each user find the right sort of land for them, quickly and effortlessly. So that’s what we did. When you find land on Addland, you can increase the accuracy of your search by filtering across 10 different land filter categories, from tenure to land size in acres. Within those categories, there are 21 land filters, letting you search for things as specific as land for sale by auction. 

This user guide will explain what each land filter searches for and how to use them to find exactly what you’re looking for. In a few clicks of a mouse, for example, you can refine your search for any piece of land in Devon to one that looks for a freehold woodland for sale, at a fixed price below £200,000, sized above 10 acres, with planning consent. When applied in conjunction with our land types, our land filters make finding land easy. The team have worked hard to optimise Addland for computer, tablet or mobile, so you can find and research land easily no matter what device you’re using, whether you’re out in the field or at a desk.     

10 LAND FILTER CATEGORIES

  • Location
  • Radius
  • Price
  • Size
  • Land Status
  • Price Type
  • Purchase Type
  • Tenure
  • Planning Status
  • Date added to site

TOP TIP: make sure you click ‘save’ on each of your filters before you use the Search button!

LOCATION

The Location search bar is the backbone of the find experience on Addland. Typing your preferred location for land into search bar will allow you to find plots in the vicinity of a postcode, village, town, city, county, or point of interest (such as a restaurant or cathedral). The location filter starts your Addland search, from there you can use all the subsequent filters to increase accuracy and find your desired plot.                   

RADIUS 

Once you’ve entered your preferred location, if you’d like to find land further afield, you can use the Radius filter to increase your search area’s radius by +5, 10, 15, 25 or 50 miles. Increasing the catchment area of your search will yield more results, and can be.                   

PRICE RANGE

Pretty self-explanatory, this filter lets you narrow your search down to only see plots for sale within your desired budget. You can either use the slider or type in the minimum and maximum. price.                                                                          

SIZE

Addland was built from the ground up to be optimised for land. The same technology that lets you see the exact size and boundaries of every plot of land in England and Wales in the Research tool, also lets you filter for plots based on their size in acres. You can use the slider or type in lower and upper bounds for added precision.           

MORE FILTERS

As well as the broader search filters above, you can use 6 further filter categories to make your search even more specific.                                  

Land Status

Land status refers to where a listing is through the sale process. This ranges from Available, where the seller is open to offers, through to Sold, where the land is no longer for sale, though you can get in touch with the agent via Addland to enquire about similar listings coming to market. For more info, check out our guide on buying land.                                  

Available 

These plots are for sale and open to receiving offers.          

Receiving Offers

Offers have been received, with the landowner considering the options presented to them. 

Under offer

An offer has been accepted by the land owner, starting the process of the sale with both parties instructing their solicitors.

Sale agreed STC

A sale has been agreed on the land title in question, with contracts issued between both parties'b solicitors.

Sold

Contracts have exchanged between both the purchaser and landowners solicitors, a completion date would have been set or already happened.

Price Type 

Price type gives an understanding of what sort of number the seller is looking for. Filtering for specific price types will help if you decide to make an offer on a listing, as it provides an idea of how strong your offer might be, relative to the listing price. Price type can also reflect the method of sale, such as at auction. 

Fixed price

The figure the seller has indicated they are willing to accept

Guide price

The figure the seller is hoping to achieve

Offers in Excess of (OIEO)

The minimum figure the seller is seeking

Price from 

The figure the seller is willing to accept offers from

Auction bids from 

The lowest price bids are expected to start from

POA

Price on application, you'll need to ask the agent or seller

Purchase Type

The Purchase Type of a listing will reflect the type of contract the buyer and seller would have to enter into, along with the final sale outcome once a residential planning permission has been granted. For development land, we’ve built a filter that lets you select by purchase type, this includes option agreement, promotion agreement, or auctions. Below you can see the definitions of each purchase type to help understand what would be right for you. 

Option agreement 

Is a legal contract that gives a developer the right to purchase land or property from a landowner. They are often agreed to be within a specific period of time at a certain price.

Promotion agreement 

Is when the developer/promoter promotes the land through the planning process, to secure planning permission for development. Subject to planning being granted, the promoter agrees to market the land to secure buyers on behalf of the landowner.

Auction

Buying at auction is done in a public forum through competitive bidding to the highest bidder resulting in an immediate exchange of contracts. The auction usually takes place in a centralised venue and make a bid or online, where bidders can have easy access to make bids from their homes online.

Tenure

The tenure of a piece of land reflects the owner’s rights over that land. Freehold tenure over land gives you absolute ownership in perpetuity, in other words, complete control, forever. Freehold             

Freehold

A freehold tenure gives outright ownership, in perpetuity of the property and the land on which it stands. In other words, complete control, forever. Freehold land is highly desirable as owners won’t be subject to any rent or charges, and ownership passes on to their descendents when they die. It can, however, be more expensive to buy. To find out more, see our Addland Guide on freeland land.

Leasehold

A leasehold tenure allows ownership of the land and any property built on it for a fixed period of time i.e. 125 years. Leaseholds can be extended, though usually at cost, and leasehold owners can be subject to ground rent or other charges. On the other hand leasehold land is usually cheaper to buy. To find out more, you can read out Addland Guide on leasehold land

Freehold Investment 

A freehold investment generally involves purchasing the freehold of a commercial building. This includes Mixed-Use buildings consisting of commercial units & residential apartments.

Planning Status

Planning Status refers to where the land is in the planning process to be developed or changed. Planning applications for a piece of land are submitted to the Local Planning Authority (generally synonymous with the relevant district or county) and progress in stages. You can use this filter to find land specific to your planning requirements, though land with planning consent can be more expensive. If you’d like to learn more about planning permission, see our guide on applying for planning permission.

None

The land in question does not have any planning applications in place for residential or mixed use development

Pre-application 

A pre-application with the local authority provides advice and a service for potential future planning applications, which can help you to prepare a proposal for the best chance of success and also advise on revisions following determination of applications.

Outline consent 

Outline consent is different to full planning permission. Upon application, you are asking the local planning authority to agree ‘in principal’ the proposed scheme of development – with the specifics (called “ Reserved Matters”) to be resolved at a later date.

Full consent 

Full Consent is when a planning application has been approved. This includes permitted development, household applications, residential development and change of use class for commercial purposes.

Added
If you’d like to see listings that were added to the site more recently, you can filter to see those that were added in the last 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days, 30 days, and ever. 

We designed these filters to make finding land on Addland precise and easy. With thousands of great land listings on site, you can use the filters in conjunction with our innovative Addland Land Types to find exactly what you’re looking for. With this, the Addland Research tool, and our Addland Guides, we’re the single destination for land.                                       

Addland
Published: 27 May 2022
Last updated: 13 June 2022

Share this story

Frequently asked questions about land filters
Things to consider when buying rural property
Guide
11 September 2023

Things to consider when buying rural property

Buying rural property isn't the same as buying a house in the town or the city, and there's a lot to weigh up beyond the benefits. In this guide we'll take you through some of the potential issues that come with rural property to help you make a more informed decision.

Read more
  • Buying land - All you need to know
    Guide
    11 September 2023

    Buying land - All you need to know

    Whether you’re looking for the perfect plot to build your dream home, or a location ripe for development, buying land is an exciting and rewarding venture.

    Read more
  • What is freehold land?
    Guide
    11 September 2023

    What is freehold land?

    The concepts of freehold and leasehold are essential to understanding land ownership. In this guide, we'll explore what freehold ownership is and whether freehold land is right for you, as well as what it means if you do own it.

    Read more
  • An Introduction to Title Deeds
    Guide
    11 September 2023

    An Introduction to Title Deeds

    Title deeds are an integral part of land ownership and, therefore, land transactions. We've written this quick guide to introduce you to the concept of title deeds, and define the key terms associated with them. No matter where you are on your land-buying journey, Addland is here to Make Land Easy.

    Read more